Reading Response Week 3
Why Tangibility Matters
Summary: A case study in the use of tangibles, PhonoBlocks, to support reading and spelling for children with early diagnosis of dyslexia
Takeaway: The concept of PhonoBlocks is brilliant in how they were able to physically visualize an abstract concept. Especially for teaching, being able to take off some mental load for the student to streamline the education process is effective and something I want to carry on into my own work.
Real World Example: While tutoring computer science, it was always required for me to walk my newer students through the thinking process in order to understand a certain concept. I had to use drawings, videos, and showed the cause and effect directly through code. Therefore, a visual aid of an abstract concept is always helpful and often necessary in education.
Burning question: While further research is required to test the effectiveness of PhonoBlocks, it may not be as effective if diagnosis of dyslexia is lacking in the first place. I am wondering what protocols or help is in place for early diagnosis of dyslexia.
Promise of Empathy
Summary: The paper examines the current design guides on empathy building, the ideas of its proponents and its eventual drawbacks.
Takeaway: The quote “empathy built through immersion may steer designers toward narrow and inaccurate conceptions of disability experiences” really stuck out to me.
Real World Example: Reading this reminded me of one of the past readings where designers need the guidance of subject matter experts (SME) and it isn’t enough for designers to perform exercises where they wear different “shoes”.
Rethinking Design Thinking
Summary: The excerpt explores current design practices and how it leads to discriminatory design.
Takeaway: Safia Noble’s words were very powerful as she says “an app will not save us”. It is interesting to view the quick nature of app development to solve “problems”.
Real World Example: It is really interesting to observe how app developers are finding problems and creating solutions to not only be helpful but mostly to profit off their achievements.